In July 2018, Anthony Murphy and Ken Williams discovered a giant
previously unknown monument close to Newgrange while flying their drones
over the Boyne Valley. They found what archaeologists believe to be a
Late Neolithic henge monument, measuring 154 meters (just over 500 feet)
in diameter, and a number of other mysterious and intriguing features.
Their discoveries became an internet and media sensation and made
headlines all around the world. In the days, weeks and months that
followed, there was intense interest in these gigantic relics of the
prehistoric world. Archaeologists pored over the drone imagery and the
National Monuments Service conducted their own helicopter flights over
Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site to capture the features in more
detail.
In Dronehenge, Anthony Murphy tells the story of the remarkable
discovery of this monument, and attempts to unravel some of its
mysteries. Anthony describes the events that followed the first social
media post about the discovery and how he spent three weeks doing little
else but taking phone calls, answering emails and engaging in Skype
calls with media all around the world.
Lavishly illustrated, Dronehenge includes discussion of how this
monument might have been constructed and what it might have been used
for, and includes 3D models of its likely appearance. Anthony explains
how the henge, along with the other features discovered, completely
changes our view of the Brú na Bóinne landscape, and why it will have
archaeologists and historians studying them for many years to come.
